Funeral services for Vinston L. Hilliard, 81, of Bainbridge, Ga., were held on Monday, Jan. 24, at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Paul Medley and Mr. Sam Sirmons officiating.

Interment was at West Bainbridge Cemetery with Tommy Hilliard, Timmy Hilliard, Chris Hilliard, Eric Hilliard, Matthew Hilliard and Tyler Grimes serving as active pallbearers.

Mr. Hilliard was born Jan. 5, 1930, in Sparks, Ga., the son of Thomas Jackson Hilliard and Sadie Hill Hilliard. He died Jan. 21, 2011, at his residence. He was a graduate of Sparks High School and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Mr. Hilliard was an insurance salesman, a member of First Baptist Church and the Penny Lambert Sunday School Class. He was a member of the Bainbridge Lions Club, past president of the Blakely Lions Club, a member of Orion Lodge # 8 F.&A.M., Bainbridge Shrine Club, Hasan Shrine Temple, and was a former member of Bainbridge and Blakely Rotary clubs.

Mr. Hilliard was preceded in death by his sister, Theresa H. Newman.

Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Carolyn Cleveland Hilliard of Bainbridge, Ga.; his sons, Vic Hilliard and his wife, Beth, of Pelham, Ga., Greg Hilliard and his wife, Camille, of Venice, Fla., Scott Hilliard of Panama City, Fla., and Neal Hilliard and his wife, Nichole, of Pelham; his daughters, Liz Thigpen and her husband, Ray, of DeLand, Fla., Lee Grimes and her husband, Joel, of Suwanee, Ga., Jill Black and her husband, Steve, of Atlanta, and Amy Ford and her husband, Stewart, of Savannah; his brother, Bobby Hilliard of Sparks; his grandchildren, Brooke, Casie, Eric, Hillary, Taylor, Dawson, Matthew, Courtney, Meghan, Tyler, Jason and Neil; and his great-grandchildren, Noah and Ansley.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Southwest Georgia, 1323 E. Shotwell, Suite #2, Bainbridge, GA 39819.

Ivey Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.